The Background of the Letter Paul planted the church in Thessalonica during his first round of travels in Greece. His first stop had been Philippi where he planted a new congregation and was imprisoned contrary to Roman law (Acts 16:11-40). After the team left Philippi, Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled to Thessalonica, a city of about 500,000 and the capital of the province of Macedonia. In Thessalonica, he encountered strong opposition from members of the local Jewish synagogue and was forced to leave after a few weeks (Acts 17:1-9). He then moved on to Berea, but Jews from Thessalonica followed him to that city as well (Acts 17:10-15). Leaving Silas and Timothy in Macedonia to care for the churches there, Paul traveled alone first to Athens (Acts 17:16-34) and then to Corinth (Acts 18:1-17). He wanted to return to Thessalonica again, but when Silas and Timothy arrived in Corinth with a favorable report, he wrote a letter to the church (A.D. 50-52). Timothy carried the letter back to Macedonia (1 Thess. 3:6-10).

The Purpose and the Theme of the Letter Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to address three issues: the church’s progress (1:2-10), false charges that had been leveled against him (2:1-3:13), and questions about individual and congregational life (4:1-5:24). Many of the questions in the congregation focused on Jesus’ return. In order to give the Thessalonian believers proper perspective on that issue, Paul wrote to encourage them to live expectantly until Jesus comes.

The Thanksgiving Section (1 Thess. 1:2-10) In accordance with his normal practice, Paul follows an opening salutation (1:1) with a section in which he gives thanks for the Thessalonians (1:2-10). In that section, he includes four reasons that he is thankful for the believers in Thessalonica.

He is thankful for the way they live out their new lives in Christ (1:2-3). Paul tells the Thessalonians that he regularly gives thanks for them, especially when he is praying. What’s interesting is why he gives thanks for them. In verse 3, he highlights three virtues: their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope? Faith, love, and hope characterized the Thessalonians’ lives, but they weren’t just abstract virtues. They made a difference in the way the Thessalonians live. Their faith produced good works; their love produced diligent labor for God; their hope produced a consistent lifestyle that exalts the Lord Jesus.

He is thankful for the way they respond to God’s Word (1:4-5). The second reason Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians is the way he saw them respond to God’s Word. In verse 5, he says that they responded with more than intellectual assent alone— just agreeing with the facts. Instead, the Holy Spirit convicted them powerfully of the truth of the gospel, so that the truth of God’s Word made a significant difference in their lives. In 2:13, he says something similar. He says that they accepted the truth because they recognized it as God’s authoritative Word, and they allowed it to do a powerful work in their lives.

He is thankful for the way they are examples for others (1:6-8). The third reason Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians is the impact they had on other believers. He says that they became examples for other believers, and their impact extended well beyond the city limits of their home town. Macedonia was the northern half of modern day Greece, and Achaia was the southern half. Saying “Macedonian and Achaia” then was like saying “North and South Carolina” now—that’s how well-known the Church in Thessalonica was. Everyone looked up to them because of their example of faith and the way they walked with God.

He is thankful for the way they have turned their lives around (1:9-10). The fourth reason Paul gives thanks for the Thessalonians is the difference the gospel made in their lives. He said that they did a 180—they turned away from whatever had been most important in their lives and turned toward the living and true God. Not only that, they shifted their focus to looking for Jesus to return. They lived in this life in light of the life to come. They got both their lives and their priorities in order.

Paul’s thanksgiving for the Thessalonians helps him maintain and enhance his relationship with the young church he planted. Practically, his practice of giving thanks reminds us that we should encourage and care for other members of the body of Christ. Paul’s point is . . . God’s people give thanks for one another . . . and they tell each other why.

Take some time to read through 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. Then, reflect on how you would answer the following questions.

1. Do you know people in the Faith family who live out their new life in Christ in ways that you know please God (1:2-3)? Do you tell them that you are thankful for them?

2. Do you know people in the Faith family for whom God’s Word is the absolute authority and who allow it to work powerfully in their lives (1:4-5). Do you tell them that you are thankful for them?

3. Do you know people in the Faith family who epitomize what it means to believe in and walk with God—people you look up to as examples of faith, people whose lives you want to imitate (1:6-8)? Do you tell them that you are thankful for them?

4. Do you know people in the Faith family in whom you have seen a dramatic change and who now have their priorities straight (1:9-10)? Do you tell them that you are thankful for them?